On August 13, the 9th NTD World Chinese Traditional Martial Arts Competition kicked off in a sports hall in Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York. This edition of the competition saw the participation of 75 athletes from 8 countries. The first day of the competition featured preliminary rounds for youth, women, and men’s categories in fist and apparatus events. Both new and seasoned competitors showcased their true skills, with a total of 60 athletes advancing to the finals.
Chairman of the competition judges, Li Youfu, expressed his delight at the growing interest in traditional martial arts, emphasizing the importance of understanding the essence and principles of martial virtue, or “Wude,” which includes recognizing cause and effect, distinguishing between good and evil, and exhibiting integrity and fearlessness. According to Li Youfu, without “Wude,” it is not traditional martial arts, nor genuine martial skill.
Listed below are the 60 qualifiers from the North America and Asia-Pacific regions for the finals:
[Names of participants listed]
During the preliminary rounds, athletes performed various traditional fist techniques such as Lotus Fist, Xingyi Boxing, Eight Methods Boxing, Five Hand Fist, Overturning Fist, Small Flower Fist, and Baguazhang, as well as routines with common weapons like whip, staff, sword, and spear.
Competitors realized the profound richness of Chinese traditional martial arts, acknowledging the need for dedicated practice to truly comprehend its beauty. The purpose of participating in this competition was to showcase the beauty of traditional martial arts, support NTD’s martial arts competition, and ensure the continued inheritance of this significant part of Chinese traditional culture.
Taiwanese athlete Lin Jingyao showcased the classic boxing style, Bēngbù Quán, from the Praying Mantis Fist. He exemplified the agility and crispness of this set of movements, emphasizing the necessity of understanding the unity of mind, body, and spirit in embracing traditional culture.
In Los Angeles, Zhang Yuxia, a student from Renaissance University, has been learning martial arts for a year. She emphasized that the greatest benefit of traditional martial arts is purifying one’s inner self, which has brought positive impacts not only to herself but also to her child.
[Continuation of the article, including stories of other participants and their experiences with traditional martial arts…]
The NTD competition will continue with the finals and award ceremony tomorrow (August 14). The finals are open to the public, and interested spectators can purchase tickets online in advance. Further details about the competition are available on the official tournament website.
Competition Venue:
The Allen-Stevenson School
132 E. 78th Street, New York, NY 10075
The finals, as well as the awards ceremony, will be live-streamed online. The broadcasting schedule includes the semifinals from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM on August 14, the finals from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on August 15, and the award ceremony from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM on August 15 (all in Eastern Time).